A chip a day keeps the doctor away?
To accommodate bespoke personalized medicine in the smallest of spaces, the CellChipGroup at TU Wien is combining complex biology with chip technology. The Austrian team is at LABVOLUTION 2017 to unveil a chip for wound healing assays.

The integrated structures of the tiny bio-chips that scientists at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) are using to investigate wound healing are basically a fully-fledged laboratory. They provide everything that is needed to collect relevant measurement data and take care of tasks normally performed by highly trained lab staff. The end result is that medical examination results should be available faster and at a lower cost, thereby taking an important step towards personalized medicine.

"In medicine, we often rely on prognoses based on average values," explains Prof. Peter Ertl from the Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics at TU Wien. "However, what would really make a difference is personalized approaches that take each individual's specific physical and molecular characteristics into account." At present, valuable findings are usually generated by taking cells from a person for diagnosis, multiplying them in a conventional cell culture and only then analyzing them. However, researchers from the CellChipGroup at TU Wien have now developed miniaturized systems that not only make this process easier and cheaper, but also deliver results that are more physiologically accurate. Using tiny channels, known as microfluidics, the researchers in Vienna can imitate the most important biological conditions such as temperature, pressure and flow rates to create as realistic an environment as possible for the cells living on the chip. These cells can then be used to simulate mechanical loads and injuries that can be adjusted on the chip in a way that is close to nature using integrated actuators. All in all, it is a revolutionary technology that could offer scientists a reliable and precise means of studying healing processes. The team from Vienna is at LABVOLUTION 2017 in Hannover to provide a detailed breakdown of its miniaturized wound healing system that can be used to derive individualized findings about the efficacy and/or side-effects of medicines.
TU Wien - Research Marketing (1040 Vienna, Austria), Hall 20, Stand C66, co-exhibitor at Forschung für die Zukunft (R&D Collaboration Pavilion)
Tel.: +43 1 58801 406110
Mobile: +43 664 605883320
E-Mail: forschungsmarketing@tuwien.ac.at

Sharp as horseradish!
SERVA Electrophoresis GmbH offers numerous tried-and-tested reagents and is exhibiting at LABVOLUTION 2017 in Hannover to show how life in the lab can be made easier. For example, scientists can take advantage of the latest version of the standard EL WB substrate - ServaLight Vega.

The highly sensitive chemiluminescence substrate detects proteins (Western Blot) or nucleic acids (Southern and Northern Blot) labelled directly with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or indirectly with HRP-labelled antibodies/streptavidin. ServaLight Vega does this without requiring changes to standard protocols, since it can simply be used in place of a standard ECL substrate. Producing the working solution doesn't even require any specialist know-how from users either, as all they need to do is mix two components in equal parts. Solutions produced in this way are also stable for at least five days and can therefore be used for several blots, which makes repeat tests more reproducible. This also brings economic and ecological benefits, as labs end up discarding less solution.

Serva promises top-class blot results thanks to the product’s high signal intensity, a low picogram limit of detection, low background and a high signal/noise ratio. Antibodies can therefore be diluted more extensively, which helps reduce costs. Finally, short exposure times save hours of sitting around the detection device, freeing up time that scientists can use, for example, to visit trade fairs like LABVOLUTION and discover new products for day-to-day routine analytics.
SERVA Electrophoresis GmbH (69115 Heidelberg, Germany), Hall 20, Stand B27
Contact: Dr. Frank Scholz
Tel.: +49 5844 975558
Mobile: +49 173 6548135
E-Mail: frank.scholz@serva.de

Nize and easy!
Hamburg-based Eppendorf AG is at LABVOLUTION 2017 in Hannover to celebrate the world première of VisioNize, with daily demos to show how the smart system helps bring digital laboratory concepts to life.

At LABVOLUTION 2017 and the accompanying life sciences event BIOTECHNICA, the spotlight is on the "lab of the future". In line with this key focus, Eppendorf AG is exhibiting in Hannover this year with a fully networked stand and a very special world première - the new VisioNize lab digitalization system. The Hamburg-based company is joining LABVOLUTION with exciting demonstrations to show how VisioNize can be used to link up a wide range of Eppendorf devices in laboratory applications.

The Eppendorf AG stand is also offering tours of the glass cell culture lab. The company’s cell handling experts are guiding visitors through the workflow and providing useful tips on how to handle cells in the lab twice each day. Alongside VisioNize, further product innovations on show include the new BioFlo 120 bio process control station. The new product line is developed to meet the Forensic DNA Grade purity standard and features disposable articles for DNA extraction, sample processing, PCR set-up and sample storage. Another product highlight is the Eppendorf CryoCube F740, designed to ensure that samples are stored safely. Meanwhile, the new epMotion 10 µL system for high precision in automated liquid handling at sub-microliter volumes marks another exciting Hannover first. Eppendorf is also taking part in the special smartLAB showcase, working with other partners to present pioneering visions for the lab of the future.
Eppendorf AG (22339 Hamburg, Germany), Hall 20, Stand B67
Contact: Bettina Doerler
Tel.: +49 40 53801-640
E-Mail: doerler.b@eppendorf.de

A particularly fresh innovation!
Potsdam-based BIOTECON Diagnostics GmbH is at LABVOLUTION 2017 to showcase its latest contribution to food quality control - the new foodproof kit for detecting and quantifying yeasts and molds in all dairy products and raw materials.

Yeasts and molds are widely distributed in the environment and can enter foods through raw materials, inadequately disinfected equipment or airborne contaminants. The production of mycotoxins in foodstuffs poses a potential threat to public health, and some 5 to 10 percent of all losses in global food production are caused by yeasts and molds. Using quality control to regularly monitor the presence and quantity of yeasts and molds in dairy products and other foods is therefore crucially important. With this vital task in mind, BIOTECON Diagnostics is at LABVOLUTION 2017 with the foodproof Yeast and Mold Quantification LyoKit - a unique test for rapidly detecting yeasts and molds in all dairy products.

The new kit provides a quick test that can quantify yeasts and molds within just five hours, and the PCR results correlate well with results from more time-consuming, conventional microbiological methods. The user-friendly test is based on real-time PCR technology and has been developed together with a DNA extraction kit specifically adapted to yeasts and molds - the foodproof StarPrep Two Kit. With the help of foodproof Reagent D, another innovative product from BIOTECON Diagnostics, the DNA of dead cells is excluded from the detection process so that only living organisms are detected and quantified. The new system has been successfully validated with a wide range of dairy products, including different types of cheese, milk and milk powder, yoghurts, curd, pudding, fermented milk products, whey and many others. As a result, the kit on show at LABVOLUTION 2017 is suitable for all kinds of end products and raw materials used in the dairy industry.
BIOTECON Diagnostics GmbH (14473 Potsdam, Germany), Hall 19, Stand C18/1
Contact: Dr. Constanze Klopfleisch
Tel.: +49 331 2300 253
E-Mail: bcd@bc-diagnostics.com

Cabinet of curiosities!
The Cabi2Net system from Düperthal is set to revolutionize centralized control for work processes. The Karlstein-based company is at LABVOLUTION 2017 to show how Cabi2Net uses current data and intelligent networking to help organize the value chain as efficiently as possible.

Düperthal Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co. KG develops system solutions for the process-optimized storage of chemicals and hazardous materials for research, development and production, with a focus on customized solutions designed for specific requirements. It's therefore no surprise that the Bavaria-based company is known for both high-quality, certified products and excellent end-to-end service. The Cabi2Net system that Düperthal is showcasing at LABVOLUTION 2017 is set to revolutionize centralized control for work processes.

Cabi2Net uses current data and intelligent networking to help organize the value chain as efficiently as possible. Information on fill levels or faults, for instance, can be called up online via a web interface on any device. What's more, the system is easily scalable and can be integrated into standard building automation structures. Thanks to the many options Cabi2Net provides for combining a wide range of sensors, all relevant operating parameters can be monitored constantly. Various systems for further processing data and information can also be controlled to ensure stable and secure processes in the workplace. Ultimately, using Cabi2Net to record and evaluate all relevant parameters means that work processes can be more flexible and the internal value chain can be organized more efficiently. Düperthal is also keen to emphasize that this is the first time safety storage cabinets can be linked together in a network, making it easy to access all key information on the operating status of the cabinets via a smartphone, tablet or PC - from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.
Düperthal Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co.KG (63791 Karlstein, Germany), Hall 20, Stand C54
Contact: Uwe Wellmann
Tel.: +49 6188 9139-152
E-Mail: info@dueperthal.com

An eye for top-end research
The exhibits that Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH is showcasing at LABVOLUTION 2017 in Hannover include a new generation of focused ion beam scanning electron microscopes (FIB-SEM) for high-end applications in research and industry that are intended to set new standards in 3D analytics and sample preparation.

The Crossbeam 550, which Zeiss launched in spring this year, is one of a new generation of focused ion beam scanning electron microscopes (FIB-SEM) that features a significantly higher resolution for imaging and material characterization and speeds up sample processing. The Crossbeam 550 is designed for investigating nanostructures - e.g. in composite materials, metals, biomaterials and semiconductors - using analytical and imaging methods in parallel. The device allows users to simultaneously modify and monitor samples, with the aim of speeding up sample preparation and delivering a high throughput, e.g. for cross-sectioning, preparing TEM lamellae or nano-patterning.

The Crossbeam 550 aims to supply the best image quality in 2D and 3D. The new Tandem decel mode has been developed to enhance resolution and maximize image contrast at low landing energies. According to Zeiss, the pioneering Gemini II electron optics can help achieve optimum resolution at low voltage with a high probe current. The FIB column combines the highest available FIB current of 100 nA with the new FastMill mode. This is designed to enable high-precision and even more efficient material processing during concurrent imaging. The new process for automated emission recovery makes the system even more user-friendly and also optimizes the FIB column for reproducible results during extended experiments. The Crossbeam 550 aims to make a big impression in life sciences applications through its enhanced resolution at low acceleration voltages and outstanding long-term stability for 3D tomography. What’s more, users should be able to integrate the new workstation easily into correlative workflows and combine it with light, X-ray or ion beam microscopy.
Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH (07745 Jena, Germany), Hall 20, Stand E20
Contact: Dr. Johannes Amon
Tel.: +49 89 90 9000-319
E-Mail: johannes.amon@zeiss.com

Unleash the genius inside!
Hamburg-based startup Geniu wants to help its customers achieve this ambitious undertaking with specially adapted benchmarking for laboratories. Visitors to LABVOLUTION 2017 in Hannover can find out exactly how it all works.

Although still very young, this is one startup with no shortage of confidence in its abilities and describes itself as an innovative consulting and training company with benchmarking that is unique in the world. Made popular in the 1990s, benchmarking is used to determine a company's position compared to competitors, identify where improvements can be made and set the necessary changes in motion. In Geniu’s area of activity, that means implementing a laboratory optimization program or developing a lab strategy.

The tools it uses include a training requirements analysis for staff, a KPI comparison based on a robust proprietary standardization method, and systematic analysis of the weak points and “"blind spots" in a lab. Comparing more than 100 laboratory best practices should make it possible to improve lab processes and practices with precision - and with the support of the modular benchmarking structure that Geniu offers. For example, the benchmarking process begins by determining where the in-house lab currently stands, then confirming objectives and identifying the scope for improvement. Once the corresponding carefully targeted improvements have been implemented, they are assessed at the end of the process and accredited with impact certificates. The startup promises to provide customers with an efficient analysis that requires far less input than an in-house analysis but delivers additional ideas for improvement and brings new momentum to day-to-day work thanks to external process management. It may even unleash the inner genius...

Visitors to LABVOLUTION who are interested in online courses on optimizing processes and improving productivity in the lab can also find out more about lean laboratory management techniques at the Geniu stand.
Geniu GmbH (22089 Hamburg, Germany), Hall 19, Stand A12, (10), Topic: Young and Innovative Companies Pavilion
Contact: Dr. Wolf-Christian Gerstner
Tel.: +49 40 73054653
E-Mail: info@geniu.com

X-ray has had its day!
GATC Biotech AG is Europe's leading supplier in the field of genome analysis and is exhibiting at LABVOLUTION 2017 under the slogan "Discover the X-ray of the 21st century". Taking pride of place among its exhibits is GATCLiquid, which is used for blood-based tumor characterization to identify cancers.

The process involved here - known as liquid biopsy - makes use of cell-free nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA, which are released into the bloodstream as a result of cell death or active secretion and circulate there before being filtered out of the blood again by the spleen, liver and kidneys. Tumor cells also release DNA fragments that are referred to as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). It is precisely these fragments that can be isolated in the blood of cancer patients. Performing a molecular analysis on these fragments allows scientists to identify tumor-specific mutations and draw conclusions about the prognosis and progression of a cancer. Follow-up investigations can also be carried out using tumor-based blood analysis - and all without the invasive processes of conventional tumor biopsies and the associated risks and costs. Since tumors are often heterogenous in terms of their structure, tissue biopsies do not necessarily provide representative results, even despite the additional surgery that they involve for patients.

GATC Biotech has decades of experience in the sequencing of nucleic acids. Now, thanks to the continuous advances in genome analysis, the company is setting its sights on becoming the first service provider in the world to offer blood-based tumor characterization and monitoring for clinical research. GATCLiquid is available in three different versions designed to achieve different objectives: GATCLIQUID ONCOEXOME creates a comprehensive profile of all mutations present in the exome, GATCLIQUID ONCOPANEL focuses on therapeutically targetable mutations for liquid biopsy samples and finally GATCLIQUID ONCOTARGET is used to monitor selected tumor-related mutations.
GATC Biotec AG (78467 Konstanz, Germany), Hall 20, Stand D26
Contact: Jochen Schäfer
Tel.: +49 7531 8160-0
E-Mail: customercare@gatc-biotech.de

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